Mastering Minimalism

Structure and balance are the keys to achieving great minimalist design.
 
"Less is more" is the cry of disciples of the minimalist style and their messiah, modernist German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Minimalists like their homes simple, functional and pared back, with clean lines, restrained palettes and minimal yet striking adornments. A sole, plain vase on an unembellished table, the play of light on a clean white wall, a stunning piece of furniture allowed to hold court alone in a room. Clutter is the enemy.
 
This timeless style has been around since the 1920s and continues to influence how many of us decorate our homes today. At its best minimalism is beautiful and tranquil. At its worst it can be sterile and uncomfortable, which is where the talent of a professional can make all the difference in achieving a great result.
 
Award winning Architect Richard Priest says “My approach to minimalism is quite simple. Conceptually you begin with a collection of information about the design. From the brief, the site, materials, aesthetics. Out of this complexity you begin to remove until you come up with a refined simple form. This continues throughout the design process, down to the smallest detail. The extraction is the most challenging art which results in making the aesthetic quite pure.”
 
Like any style of decoration the popularity of minimalist design surges and falls with the years but its very simplicity guarantees it immortality.

 

Click here to read more about a very special minimalist style home featured in NZ House & Garden magazine.